I’d like to share just a little about myself, and then go into the list.
WoW has been a massive part of my life. I’m now 28 and sometimes feel like I wasted my high school years on this game, but secretly I’d never take it back. During Vanilla and BC, hell even LK, I played this game for ENDLESS hours. My days off would be unproductive because I just loved using all spare time I had to play WoW.
But I can tell you, even loving the game still, I got so, so bored playing *shuffles deck of expansions after WOTLK …Warlords of Dreanor (I actually had to think about the name of the expansion just now… very impactful expansion …). Then legion comes out, and I played maybe a few hours a week, but didn’t feel overly invested in my character. When they announced BFA… not once did I feel even a tinge of the excitement I once did when they announced BC/WOTLK. And yet, even still admitting I love this game, I have no desire to play it. I still think about it a lot, but it’s my day off and I find myself watching videos of people’s opinions and searching the forums to see if I’m just outgrowing the game. Turns out, I’m not alone.
After watching hours of videos and reading multiple forums, I’ve concluded a list of why the game isn’t magic anymore:
Leveling: Leveling is no longer part of this game. The entire purpose of the game is to get to the max level and do endgame content (which btw you’re not special if you get to experience endgame because everyone can). Heirlooms, XP gear, XP scrolls etc… all to rush rush rush leveling. Hell, for money you can just buy max level. Laughs in non-RPG elements
Gear: *Looks at people who’s opinions don’t justify Blizzard’s microtransactions …Remember when you could tell a class just by seeing their gear? Good times. Why would they get rid of tier gear? just…why? Remember when you were more than just a plate wearer? Doesn’t matter if you’re a ret paladin or a holy paladin. ALL your gear looks the same.
WoW is now a slot machine: The entire model of the game has become any thing they can do to get you to invest more time. Forget the, you know, creation of actual interesting content. Honestly you’re dense if you think Blizzard hasn’t lost touch of what good content is in the midst of what can make them money. I can see wanting more content for casual players, but don’t lessen the reward for people who are able to invest more time or try harder. Let me give you an example: Molten Core back in vanilla… I never saw the inside of that place when it was relevant. Why? Because I wasn’t good enough to. I was not skilled enough nor did I invest enough time to get geared for it. Therefore? I was always working towards gearing for it because I wanted to feel what it was like to raid it. Now?? queue for it… as long as you’ve put a few hours a week into dungeons, you can LFR your way to the MAX ENDGAME raid…in LFR#%@%@!!& …*settles down.
LF MMO elements: Does anyone remember how little community interaction is needed in wow today vs. back then? You can literally get from 1-whatever the max level is now and not coordinate with a single person or type anything. You can LFG your way to max level. WHAT. You could say “F you” to every person you run a dungeon with, and not one person will ever think twice about grouping with you, because there is absolutely no community anymore. Your server means nothing, your race or faction mean nothing. There’s no pride in any choice you make or have made. At all.
Lastly, the overall, general effort of the developers: It should shock no one that the developers (except perhaps the art team) has watered E V E R Y T H I N G down in the game. The entire goal of WoW is now just money. The gear, the dungeons, the talent trees, the professions, the leveling, the mount BS… the list goes on. The game has become how they can make money instead of how can we make this game more awesome. The intentions are painfully obvious. Let’s take the new diablo for example. What did they want: Diablo fanbase to smoothly transition into the mobile gaming world so they could pay 10x less than it would cost to develop a PC version… what did they got: a pissed off fanbase saying we are fcking PC gamers, stop being lazy. Blizzard wants more fans but also wants to put less effort into their games.
WoW classic will be the one and only thing that saves Blizzard from continually losing more fans. Truthfully, I am very much looking forward to WoW classic!
Please share your constructive thoughts if you’d like. Remember, I understand some of you picked this game up in WoD and think the game has never been better… to those whom that applies, you are rookies still lol.
TBH Even if the PVE people leave WoW It will still remain the largest MMORPG out there. This is because Blizzard has much pretty much cornered the market on the RP communities. While PVE and PVP subs are fluctuating …the RP servers in WoW are steadily rising in fact BFA has been a BOON to RPers as not only are people trying RP as a way to try to keep playing BUT the new Capitols have SO many paces to rp in.
Also the thing about RPers is once we are established and have set up storylines we are VERY unlikely to pick up and go so even if other MMORPGs set up RP communites it is VERY unlikely they can do anything to coax WoW RPers to leave.
And Blizzard knows this that is why they have always done their best to the keep to RP community happen because LBH the RPers alone are enough to keep WoW on it’s throne as top MMORPG.
Your right that’s it’s a bit of a mess, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they did a overhaul of the whole thing next expansion, ala Cataclysm.
The only problem is how do you make a levelling experience that’s engaging for new and veteran players, but also allow for it to be done quickly for those who wanna go fast? It’s no doubt tricky.
Gear
That has been a problem ever since they added transmog, and no one really cares about identifying class by armor, from what I can tell. Also 1 set per armor type was definitely a experiment, I would imagine they will be going back to class tier next expansion.
WoW is a slot machine
It’s always been a slot machine, ever since Vanilla, it’s just it’s presentation has changed. As for gear catchup, I’m fine with it, it makes the more challenging content more accessible, and the challenge is overcome by skill then gear now more then ever, because gear is more widespread. Just because you can get Mythic gear from LFR doesn’t mean you can actually do Mythic.
LF MMO Elements
That’s sorta always been WoW’s appeal, and why it’s gotten so popular, it’s on how it caters to all player types, being able to accomplish a lot of the game solo is one of WoW’s greatest strengths. And while modern conveniences have lost a bit of the community feel of the past, it still exists if you go out to get it.
Perhaps it is not mean to appeal to all crowds. Perhaps if you do not want to go through the leveling process, you should go play fortnite or something lol. The point is that WoW developers are trying to cater to everyone to increase their numbers, and they are sacrificing quality to do it (Activision is).
Sure it is. I agree that if you go out and get it, it’s there. But what’s the fun if you’re the only one doing it? Go to Un’goro Crater in game now and tell me if you see a single soul there questing. That’s why I’m saying, the game doesn’t feel like an MMO anymore. There’s a difference between doing things alone and doing things alone because there’s no one else around.
Completely agree with all of those. Especially the portion on gear, and the reason you used to get it. Having a piece of content that was a mystery for you because you hadn’t earned the experience is something I sorely miss. I never raided a single thing in Classic, but I worked and worked towards the possibility of one day doing it.
Just know so many of us agree with you. General forums isn’t where you’re going to get a lot of like minded opinions though, it’s heavily populated by casual players who feel entitled to gear, rather than wanting to earn it and have a genuine experience like the old days. Your post will probably be flamed but just know GD isn’t the majority opinion, which is why they seem so happy about BFA while so many of us have been leaving it.
I think you’re right on the money OP. It’s the main reason I’m looking forward to Classic honestly but I still hold out hope that retail WoW will rediscover what made this game special. Maybe the popularity of Classic once it releases will make them realize this.
I would agree with ya if this was not true for a LOT of MMORPGs each time a new x pack comes out the previous x pack is forgotten. As for the lvl boost Blizzard offters HUNDREDS of way to speed up lvling that do NOT cost IRL money (looms, buffs, even rested Xp)
Back then healing plate did not EVEN EXIST you had pallys fighting cloth users for gear due to stats.
1 I am a RPer I don’t raid but a LOT of lore is inside raids. LFR gives me a way to see that lore without having to be geared and remember Blizzard offers additional rewards to people who do heroic and mythic raids.
I don’t see that issue then again I am on an RP server.
Truthfully, I’d like to see the game make a comeback too. But they’d almost have to erase it to get it anywhere close to what it is now. Today’s casual fanbase would lose their minds.“what is this earning things phrase you people keep talking about?” Lol
I would agree. However, the demand for RP’ers is not even close to comparable. I don’t mean that in a rude way. But for example, you all were as happy as can be with Silvermoon City and presumably still are to this day. I’m thankful you all are still happy, but RPers are a minority and always have been. (Correct me if I’m wrong on that)
You could level 1-60/70/80/etc without interacting with anyone ever. The only thing that has changed is people have significantly less desire to do so now, but it was certainly never a requirement.
I’m actually SUPER casual this go around. The lack of tier gear combined with freebies has caused me to question the very thing I strived to be a part of :Raiding.
I just don’t see the point of it. And I don’t like Mythic + or PvP, so their really isn’t anything for me to do this go around.
It could be modern WoW suffers from mechanics overload.
There are too many things to avoid and keep track of while still trying to maximize your class abilities. I know many players thrive on that complexity and swear it is the best. How many players decide it has become too much and don’t bother? Why do people avoid raiding and M+ if they have an avenue for gear outside that?
Classic was a simpler time mechanics wise and may become popular because of that. You might see entire college or high school guilds of 40 players logging on for raids again. Getting the 40 people to show up together on time was the big hurdle.
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